₦airaland Forum

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF KAFANCHAN, KADUNA STATE, NORTH WEST, NIGERIA
PREAMBLE

We, the Clergy, Religious and Laity of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, welcome you to the Cathedral of St Peter Clavers. We are here to present to the world, the pains, agony and sorrows that have befallen us in this part of the State, the Southern Senatorial Zone of Kaduna State.

Unfortunately, this crisis of tremendous proportion is happening at the time when, our Chief Shepherd, Most Rev Joseph Bagobiri is far away, outside the shores of this country attending to his health. This is the time when Southern Kaduna looks up to him for leadership. But he is not here. God knows why.

The entire Presbyterium, Religious, the Laity and indeed the entire Southern Kaduna indigenes are united in prayers for him. May God heal him speedily and bring him back to the Diocese soonest.

In the last weeks and months, we have become victims of systematic attacks orchestrated by another version of Boko Haram, who also go by the name ‘Fulani Herdsmen’. This Militia, of the Fulani extraction is bent on pursuing an agenda that is aimed at subjugating the Southern Kaduna People, disintegrating the country, weakening the Gospel and grounding completely the social and economic life of our people. Suffice to State ab initio, that Southern Kaduna is no stranger to violence, perpetrated against it by Jihadists.

The first known recorded violence of a large scale dates as far back as 1987 when a group of Muslim youth unleashed violence on Christians during a Revival organized by the Christian students of the College of Education, Kafanchan. The charge was that a certain Pastor was quoting from the Bible and the Quran to press home his point. This infuriated the Muslim students who interpreted this as blasphemy and consequently unleashed terror on the Christian students.

This attack, naturally spiraled and there was a backlash as reprisal attacks were carried out across the length and breadth of the state. In between the 1987 crisis and now, we have had some other attacks that were masterminded by our Muslim neighbors who have developed a penchant for war and hatred for peace. Suffice to mention in passing the Zangon Kataf crisis in 1992 and the 2011 post election crisis that claimed the lives of many people in Southern Kaduna.

The events of the past weeks and months are unfortunate and further confirm that there is a hidden agenda targeted at the Christian Majority of Southern Kaduna. This Jihad is well funded, well planned and executed by agents of destabilization. Thus, our voice is like that of the one at Ramah that refused to be consoled (Jeremiah 31:15). We are however assured by the words of Christ that not a hair of our head will be lost (Luke 21:18).

For the records, Southern Kaduna Senatorial District is made up of Eight ( Local Government areas: Sanga, Jema’a, Kaura, Jaba, Zangon Kataf, Kagarko, Kachia, and Kauru. These Local governments are densely populated by Christians. This land, fertile and agrarian, is blessed with adequate rainfall enough to make our crops yield bounteously.

The beautiful hills and valleys are a sight to behold. It is this beautiful gift of God to the people of Southern Kaduna that our adversaries seek to covet by employing terrorism in order to occupy. Our Land and Faith have become the envy of our traducers and persecutors. The gift of the Christian faith found a place in the hearts of our forefathers hundreds of years ago and today we can boast of a vibrant faith in Jesus Christ represented by the many denominations in Southern Kaduna and an army of Ministers of the Gospel who today have been elevated by God to various offices.

It is a fact, that Southern Kaduna today is the oasis of vocations as 70% of the ministers of the Gospel from Kaduna state are of Southern extraction. This Faith and Gift, we are prepared to defend and guard even if it means dying for it. For who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Is it trials? Or persecution? Or the sword? Yet in all these, we are conquerors (Romans 8:35).

There is no better time than now to present this press release. We have had different groups in Southern Kaduna draw the attention of the world and government at different times by way of press releases since the eruption of the crisis. Most of it came at the peak of the attacks. Ours providentially is coming now, and regrettably still, the attacks have not abated. As we speak, villages and communities are being attacked daily by this militia. The worst hit Local Governments are Jema’a, Sanga, Kaura, and Kauru.

THE ISSUES
What started like a minor misunderstanding between Fulani herdsmen and indigenous farmers was badly handled and it soon took a different turn for the worse. Our people are largely farmers. They depend on their farms for sustenance. Our Farmers will labor all year round to cultivate their farms. The Fulani herdsmen will deliberately walk their cows into their farmlands.

The cows will naturally eat up the crops and destroy the farmlands. For families that depend on this, one can better imagine the negative impact. So when this happens, the farmer confronts the Fulani herdsmen to seek a peaceful resolution. Most times, this gesture is met with stiff resistance as the herdsmen would threaten the farmer or begins a violent fight. In most occasions, because the herdsmen are armed to the teeth, they deal a heavy blow to the local farmer that result in death. Tension mounts and the indigenes would want to avenge the death of their loved one. This is the story all around and 99% of the intractable conflict between farmers and herdsmen are traceable to this.

It is therefore worrisome to us when a faceless group known as Concerned Southern Kaduna Muslims seek to distort the facts by way of twisting and misrepresenting the account to put the minority Muslims of Southern Kaduna as the victims while the Christian majority are the aggressors. This is far from the truth! All the violence that took place in Southern Kaduna, hardly was any masterminded by the indigenes. Or how could you explain the importation of heavily armed militia to prosecute the war on behalf of the Fulani? The mere presence of this killer squad is enough evidence and indictment of the Fulani as the masterminds of these crises.

We present to you, in graphic details, statistics of the recent crisis in Southern Kaduna. Judge for yourselves and see who the aggressor is:
STATISTICS
1. Number of LGC’s attacked: 4
2. Number of Villages attacked: 53
3. Number of deaths: 808
4. Number of injured: 57
5. Number of houses, shops, churches & other properties destroyed: 1,422 houses, 16 Churches, 19 shops, 1 primary school, 5 cars.
Note: A conservative estimate of farmlands destroyed, food stuff burnt is estimated at 5.5 billion Naira.

GOVERNMENT’S BIASES IN HANDLING THE CRISES AND OUR GRIEVANCES
The primary responsibility of government as enshrined in the constitution is the protection of life and property of citizens irrespective of ethnic and/or religious persuasion. Any breach of this fundamental principle of social contract contravenes the very reason for which the contract was entered into.

Unfortunately, our government both at the Centre and State levels have failed woefully. If anything, government has shown outright partisanship in favor of the herdsmen to the disappointment of the majority Southern Kaduna indigenes and Christians. This is what lends credence to our earlier assertion and belief that there is a well planned Jihad against our people with the sole aim of conquering our people and occupying our land. We have been disappointed in the way the soldiers have been manipulated or railroaded to favor the Muslims. In most of these attacks, the military stands aloof and watches while our people are being massacred.

The viciousness of these self styled Jihadists sends shivers into the spines of our traumatized people. In the Godogodo and Pasakori attacks for example, the military merely watched and supervised the burning of our homes. When the youth mobilized to repel the attackers, the soldiers deliberately blocked them from entering the town. The herdsmen and their ilk turned the towns into killing fields and killed mostly women, children and the elderly who couldn’t run for cover.

The level of barbarity was such that pregnant women got their wombs blown out and massacred before their children. And these innocent children were not spared either. This level of viciousness was never witnessed even in the brutal tyranny and regime of Adolf Hitler.

What is most intriguing is the level of sophistication of weapons; Ak 47, Machine Guns and many other deadly instruments of death were freely used. Some questions readily come to mind and need answers:
1. Who are those behind these attacks?
2. How do they get their funding?
3. Who supplies these arms to these terrorists?
4. In Birnin Gwari, the Fulanis themselves have come under heavy attacks by cattle rustlers. It didn’t take the government of El Rufai time to figure out what to do.

Within the shortest possible time, soldiers were deployed and many of the cattle rustlers and bandits were either killed or arrested and cows in their hundreds were rescued. This is commendable and we are happy that the Fulanis in Birnin Gwari have been rescued from these bandits. If the government can deploy helicopters and soldiers to Birnin Gwari to help in tracking down the terrorists, why is the same government unwilling to deploy the same soldiers and helicopters to Southern Kaduna to help flush out the Fulani herdsmen terrorizing indigenes of Southern Kaduna? Why is government silent and not proactive in the face of these attacks?

OUR PRAYERS/DEMANDS
We unequivocally make the following demands:

1. Immediate cessation of hostilities by the warring parties.

2. A commission of inquiry be put in place to look into the remote and proximate causes of this crisis. Membership must be evenly drawn between both parties.

3. All perpetrators and sponsors of these evil must be fished out and punished accordingly no matter how highly placed.

4. We demand immediate release of Southern Kaduna youth and leaders unjustly detained by various security agencies for trumped up charges.

5. Provision of relief materials to victims of the attacks in Southern Kaduna be made a priority.

6. Compensation to all families that suffered losses of dear ones and properties.

7. Communities overrun by Fulani herdsmen and now under occupation by same must be vacated and their owners returned to their homes and farmlands immediately.

8. That the governor of Kaduna state, immediately retracts the tweet he sent some time ago wherein he wrote “anyone who kills a Fulani man takes a loan repayable in no distant future” We view this reckless statement as a tacit support of the herdsmen which emboldens them against the indigenous farmers. The life of indigenous farmers is equally precious, sacred, and sacrosanct.

9. We reject Gov El Rufai’s proposal of spending N100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira only) to repair/renovate burnt places of worship. We suspect the motives and question the sincerity of such moves. Rather a comprehensive list of families that suffered losses be given expedited attention by way of assistance to rebuild their homes and return to them.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, we call on Southern Kaduna indigenes to remain steadfast in prayer, united, strong and never to cave in to the antics of our adversaries. Tribe and denominational differences shouldn’t put a chasm between us.

Let us remain focused and vigilant. St Peter admonishes us to “be alert, be on the watch! Your enemy the devil roams round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Be firm in your faith and resist him, because you know that your fellow believers in all the world are going through the same kind of sufferings. But after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation. (I Peter 5;8-10). God watches over his children and He will continue to protect us.

We welcome our Fulani neighbors who are desirous of living in peace with their host communities. We encourage both the Southern Kaduna indigenes and our Fulani visitors to tow the path of peace and eschew violence. We however reserve the right for self defense in the face of attacks brought against us by any unjust aggressor. The principle of self defense is not alien to our teaching. We have a sacred duty and obligation to protect the life God has given us. This right is inalienable!

Southern Kaduna indigenes are peace loving People. We welcome any such good initiative by government aimed at bringing development and equitable distribution of wealth to all citizens of the state. We abhor any attempt to regard our people as second class citizens.

Any such attempt to forcefully take over our lands under any guise will be resisted. Our Fulani brothers, like their indigenous compatriots, should seek better and modern ways of promoting their business. This should not be at the detriment and expense of our people.

We are for peace. We are for equal rights. We are for justice. We are for development.
God bless Nigeria!
God bless Kaduna State!
God bless Southern Kaduna!

Signed:
Very Rev. Fr Ibrahim Yakubu - Vicar General, Dio of Kaf
Very Rev Fr Emmanuel Okolo - Chancellor, Dio of Kaf
Very Rev. Fr Aaron Tanko - JDPC Coordinator, Dio of Kaf
Very Rev. Fr Williams Abba - NCDPA Chairman, Dio of Kaf
Mr Joseph Bayei, KSJ, - President, Laity Council, Dio of Kaf

Please, pray for my people.

http://www.francismary.org/genocide-in-southern-christian-kaduna-press-release-from-the-catholic-diocese-of-kafanchan/

For All Catholics

It's quite unfortunate that many of our separated brethren who are commenting here have failed to see nor read the actual article which is about the Protestant reformers who upheld the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

They only end up with the same old arguments that have long been refuted.

Some talk about Sola Scriptura. THE Bible Alone.

What is the Bible?

A collection of books.

Who collected these books?

The Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church is the Custodian of the Bible.

For 1500 years it was the Catholic Church alone and we kept the Bible intact until some people came and removed some books that did not suit their teaching.

Before Jesus and the Apostles, all we had was the Old Testament.

Come to think of it, all the books of the New Testament were not written at the same time. So if a verse in the Scriptures says its the Bible Alone which it NEVER did say, it actually means that many books of the Bible should not even be there at all.

The books of the New Testament were different letters written by different people at different times and eventually collated and put together as One Book "The Bible".

Some also are talking about the "Brothers of Jesus"

YES Read this article titled

The “Brothers” Of Jesus

http://www.francismary.org/the-brothers-of-jesus/

Please SHARE

Do you know that 13th May 2017 is the 100th-Year-Anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions at Fatima?

Pope Francis has decided to grant a Plenary Indulgence opportunity throughout the entire anniversary year, which began Nov. 27, 2016, and will end Nov. 26, 2017.

You can obtain a plenary indulgence on the 13th of every month between May and October 2017.

There are three ways you can obtain a plenary indulgence during this celebration since everyone cannot visit Fatima.

To know more about the three ways you can obtain a plenary indulgence during this celebration, click the link below...
[url]http://www.francismary.org/100-year-fatima-anniversary-three-ways-to-obtain-a-plenary-indulgence-during-the-jubilee-year/
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Our Lady has promised many miracles during this celebration, to learn more about this, click the link below...
http://www.francismary.org/fatima-anniversary-miracle/


To join our Facebook celebration of this great historic event, click the link below...
https://www.facebook.com/events/177888982661477/?ti=cl


For those who do not know what an indulgence means, click the link below to find out more....
http://www.francismary.org/indulgence-what-the-church-teaches/

Every Catholic who loves Our Lady MUST take this opportunity seriously and everyone who loves the salvation of others MUST SHARE this to as many people as possible.

Share until this gets to EVERY CATHOLIC.

Share In Groups
Share to Friends & Families

May you be blessed as you share this in Jesus Name. Amen

Sex is NEVER an unholy act since God created us that we my love Him and multiply the earth. WITH this I don't see sex as unholy in any way. It is unholy for people who indulge in it outside of marriage.

shadeyinka:
The theory of perpetual virginity of Mary stems from the notion that sex is unholy therefore, it would be unthinkable that the Holy Mary was subject to feelings of mere mortals.

2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 2 Thessalonians

20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: John

I have just given you 2 Scripture verses to teach you that it must not be in the Bible for it to be the truth as revealed by the Holy Spirit.

In the first verse, Saint Paul is teaching us(the Thessalonians) to hold unto all traditions that has been taught whether by Word or by their Epistle.

Here by Epistle, he meant the Scriptures as we have it today. Remember that in those days they did not have the Bible as we have it today, they had different books written to different Christian communities which the Church(Catholic Church) eventually put together as the Bible over time.

By Word, Saint Paul meant other teachings which were not written down which today is part of what the Church regards as Tradition.

In the second verse, Saint John is telling us everything Jesus did while on earth was not written in the Bible.

So I wonder even where it is written that the Scripture MUST be the basis of every Christian conclusion.

Did Jesus not tell us that He will send the Holy Spirit after He left this world? HE specifically said that He could not tell everything to His disciples but that when the Holy Spirit comes, He the Holy Spirit would lead them into all TRUTH.

What would the Holy Spirit be teaching us again if all the basis of our discussion has been written down

shadeyinka:
All Human beings are fallible including the early protestant church fathers. My source is the Scriptures and testimonies from those who knew Jesus firsthand.

Other than this, one can always find people who could even say that Jesus was married and had one daughter.

So, my Bro, let's use the scriptures as the basis of our conclusions.

Why do Catholics teach that Mary was a virgin throughout her life when the Bible clearly says that Jesus had brothers? Ever been asked that?

Read Also: 5 Protestant Reformers Who Surprisingly Defended Mary’s Perpetual Virginity

[url]http://www.francismary.org/5-protestants-who-surprisingly-defended-marys-perpetual-virginity/
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Let me offer four reasons:

1. The Meaning of Brother

The first thing to understand is that the term brother (Gk. adelphos) has a broader meaning than uterine brothers. It can mean a biological brother, but it can also mean an extended relative, or even a spiritual brother.

Take Genesis 13:8 for example. Here the word brother is being used to describe the relationship between Abraham and Lot, who were not biological brothers but uncle and nephew:

“So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers" (Gen 13:8, NIV; see also 14:12).

Because of the Bible’s broad semantic range of “brother," we can rest assured that although St. Paul writes, “[Jesus] appeared to more than five hundred…brothers at the same time" (1 Cor. 15:6), we need not infer from this verse that Mary gave birth to more than 500 children!

2. Children of Mary?

These “brothers" are never once called the children of Mary, although Jesus himself is (John 2:1; Acts 1:14).

3. Other Women Named Mary

James and Joseph (also called Joses), who are called Jesus’ “brothers" (Mark 6:3) are indeed the children of Mary—Just not Mary, the mother of Jesus.

After St. Matthew’s account of the crucifixion and death of Jesus, he writes:

“There were also many women there, looking on from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him; among who were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee." (Matt. 27:56; see also Mark 15:40).

4. Consensus of the Early Church

The earliest explanation of the “brothers" of the Lord is found in a document known as the Protoevangelium of James, which was written around A.D. 150. It speaks of Mary as a consecrated virgin since her youth, and of St. Joseph as an elderly widower with children who was chosen to be Mary’s spouse for the purposes of guarding and protecting her while respecting her vow of virginity. Though this document is not on the level of Sacred Scripture, it was written very early, and it may contain accurate historical traditions.

Allow me to limit myself to three quotes from the early Church:

Athanasius of Alexandria

“Therefore let those who deny that the Son is from the Father by nature and proper to his essence deny also that he took true human flesh of Mary Ever-Virgin [Four Discourses Against the Arians 2:70 (c. A.D. 360)].

St. Jerome

“You say that Mary did not continue a virgin: I claim still more that Joseph himself, on account of Mary was a virgin, so that from a virgin wedlock a virgin son was born [Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary 21 (A.D. 383)].

Pope St. Leo I

“The origin is different but the nature alike: not by intercourse with man but by the power of God was it brought about: for a Virgin conceived, a Virgin bore, and a Virgin she remained [Sermons 22:2 (A.D. 450)].

Thus the same Church today affirm:

Jesus is Mary’s only son, but her spiritual motherhood extends to all men whom indeed he came to save: “The Son whom she brought forth is he whom God placed as the first-born among many brethren, that is, the faithful in whose generation and formation she co-operates with a mother’s love (Catechism of the Catholic Church 501).

Read Also: 5 Protestant Reformers Who Surprisingly Defended Mary’s Perpetual Virginity

http://www.francismary.org/5-protestants-who-surprisingly-defended-marys-perpetual-virginity/

You have to read this article titled The “Brothers” Of Jesus

http://www.francismary.org/the-brothers-of-jesus/

Am sure you did not read the post or at least read well. YOU should read the preaching of the early protestants before you bring up the topic of the "brothers of Jesus" which they actually did speak about.

shadeyinka:
Mat 13:55-56
55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”


Mark 6:3
3 “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.”

The two scriptures above are self explanatory isn't it.
4 Brothers and at least 2 sisters.

Nigerian-based Danish aid worker, Anja Rinngren Lovén topped the OOOM 100: THE WORLD'S MOST INSPIRING PEOPLE list. Lovén, whose rescue of a two-year-old Hope, who was branded a witch by his family and left to die, touched the world and has topped this year’s OOOM 100 ranking of the world’s most inspiring people.

U.S. President Barack Obama is number 2, followed by actress and activist Charlize Theron. Pope Francis, Leonardo DiCpario, the Dalai Lama, Marc Zuckerberg, and Bob Dylan are in the top ten. OOOM's new issue is on newsstands from December 9, in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

The 2016 OOOM 100 world's most inspiring people list, selected by an international jury.
#1 Anja Ringgren Lovén
...
#2 Barack Obama
#3 Charlize Theron
#4 Pope Francis
#5 Leonardo DiCaprio
#6 Dalai Lama
#7 Mark Zuckerberg
#8 Malala Yousafzai
#9 Bob Dylan
#10 Elon Musk

She took to her Facebook account to share her excitement, the aid worker, however believe the award should go to her husband, David Umem and all the workers at the children's home in Akwa Ibom.

image

In her own words "I woke up this morning to the news that I have been selected as the world's most inspiring person 2016 !!" To see my name at number 1 is really amazing. I'm like WOW !! I'm so speechless and I'm very honored. This is such an important acknowledgement of DINNødhjælp/ACAEDF humanitarian work in Nigeria. But as I have said so many times before. I'm not alone. I'm surrounded by the most hard working and devoted team members in the world. Our strong leader and my mentor for life, my husband David Emmanuel Umen, and the following names should also be placed at #1."

Nsidibe Orok
Don Udowan
Ekemini Jacobs
Kingsley Umem
Matilda Udo
Patience Uko
Rose Efiok
Ekuyik Andrew
Edidiong Inyang
Asuquo Ita Asuquo
Mike Asuquo
Esther Bassey
Christel Janize Grubert
Kaja Monica Bitsch Vigtoft
Line Overmark Juul
Almaz Mengesha
Bjørn Druglimo
Leif Dorph Rasmussen
Anette Ejlertsen
Camilla Lund-Cramer
Catrine Knøsgaard Christensen
Kathrine Rask Pedersen
Didde Vigtoft
Jette Kjærgaard Søndergaard
Martin Nilsson
Emil Aller
Stina Fussing
Ulf Monrad Gaardsted

http://www.francismary.org/danish-aid-worker-anja-ringgren-loven-who-rescued-nigerian-witch-child-tops-pope-francis-obama-zuckerberg-on-list-of-worlds-most-inspiring-people/

What Is The Immaculate Conception Of The Blessed Virgin Mary?

http://www.francismary.org/what-is-the-immaculate-conception-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/

(click on link to original post below to find source of these info)

It is a dogma of the Catholic faith that the Blessed Virgin Mary was not only a virgin when she conceived and bore Jesus but that she remained a virgin ever after. Most Protestant Christians today deny this – but do they know that many of their early leaders believed it?

Here are 5 examples of major Protestant leaders who rejected huge swaths of Catholic dogma, but – you may be surprised to learn that they defended the perpetual virginity of Mary:

1) Martin Luther

Martin Luther is usually considered to be the person who sparked the Protestant Reformation. He rejected core Catholic dogmas like the papacy, transubstantiation, and even parts of the traditional Bible. But he kept the doctrine of Mary’s perpetual virginity.

Here’s what he said about it in a sermon:

“Christ, our Savior, was the real and natural fruit of Mary’s virginal womb . . . This was without the cooperation of a man, and she remained a virgin after that. […] Christ . . . was the only Son of Mary, and the Virgin Mary bore no children besides Him . . . I am inclined to agree with those who declare that ‘brothers’ really mean ‘cousins’ here, for Holy Writ and the Jews always call cousins brothers.” (Sermons on John)

2) John Calvin

John Calvin started what is now known as the Reformed theological tradition, which reject many key Catholic dogmas. Though he warned that those who take time to argue about it simply have an “extreme fondness of disputation,” he also argued that those who reject Mary’s perpetual virginity based on Scriptural passages that mention Jesus’ “brothers and sisters” show “excessive ignorance.”

3) Huldrych Zwingli

Huldrych Zwingli was a Swiss Reformer during the lifetime of Martin Luther. He not only rejected the authority of the Church, but, unlike Luther, actually went so far as to deny the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist altogether.

But on the topic of Mary’s perpetual virgin, he wrote:

“I firmly believe that Mary, according to the words of the gospel as a pure Virgin brought forth for us the Son of God and in childbirth and after childbirth forever remained a pure, intact Virgin.” (Zwingli Opera, Corpus Reformatorum, Berlin, 1905, v. 1, p. 424)

4) Thomas Cranmer

Thomas Cranmer was the Archbishop of Canterbury during Henry VIII’s schism from Rome and thereafter and was a major figure in building Anglicanism. Yet he and other major Anglican leaders maintained the perpetual virginity of Mary “on the basis of ancient Christian authority.”

5) John Wesley

John Wesley’s teachings and ministry led to the worldwide Methodist movement. He strongly rejected Catholicism – but the perpetual virginity of Mary wasn’t one of the things he saw as problematic.

In his Letter to a Roman Catholic, he wrote:

“I believe that He [Jesus] was made man, joining the human nature with the divine in one person; being conceived by the singular operation of the Holy Ghost, and born of the blessed Virgin Mary, who, as well after as before she brought Him forth, continued a pure and unspotted virgin.”


http://www.francismary.org/5-protestants-who-surprisingly-defended-marys-perpetual-virginity/

What is the hypocrisy here?

AccidentalGenius:
hypocrisy and another excuse.

Pornography is one of the greatest dangers that van ruin a married couples' Sex life. It's sad when one or both couples habitually watches pornography as this ruins their healthy sex lives.

Here are 4 reasons why pornography can ruin the sex live of married couples

1. It Creates False Expectations - People who watch pornography often begin to expect, and even demand, that their sex lives be like what they see on the screen. The sexual acts depicted are not the ones that loving couples perform, but instead degrading and insulting acts of lust, not love.

2. It Damages Your Body - Men who watch pornography train their bodies in way that they are not intended to be used. Men who watch porn often often experience impotency, and an inability to perform with their spouses. Women also experience negative physical side effects from frequent use of pornography.

3. It Separates Sex From Love - Pornography does not depict healthy and loving relations, but instead a one sided act that only seeks one’s own pleasure. Sex in a marriage is an expression of love, where two people become one. But in pornography, sex is depicted as an act of lust where the goal is not union with the other, but to use a person as means for gratification.


4. It Crushes The Confidence of The Other Spouse - If one spouse discovers that the other has been watching porn, they often feel as though they are lacking something that their spouse is seeking. They feel like they are less attractive and feel betrayed.

Because pornography is so pervasive in our culture, millions of marriages are being adversely affected by it. Studies have shown that pornography use currently plays a significant role in 56% of all divorces! However, a marriage that has been wounded by pornography use need not end in divorce. Healing and restoration are possible.

See Also: Ten Steps to Break Free from Pornography
[url]http://www.francismary.org/ten-steps-to-break-free-from-pornography/
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It's not all about healing, and believing it's all about healing leads us to fake miracle workers

Even Jesus could could have saved himself from the Cross.......

MrMontella:
with all the christ in him..
He cant heal the poor girl

Read Also: Thousands Of Muslims Reporting Visions Of Jesus & Converting

http://www.francismary.org/amazing-thousands-of-muslims-reporting-visions-of-jesus-converting/

Pope Francis' letter to a dying 9-Year-Old Italian girl, Paolina who was dying of cancer was recently read aloud at her funeral.

“Dear Paolina, your photos are on my desk, because in your very special gaze I see the light of goodness and innocence. Thank you for sending them to me!” the Pope said at the beginning of his letter.

He instructed the girl to “read this letter together with your mother, and the kiss she will now give you will be the kiss of the Pope.”

Originally published on the Italian website “Il Faro di Roma,” the letter was dated Sept. 22 and addressed to 10-year-old Paolina Libraro, who was suffering from an advanced form of cancer.

The girl’s mother had written to the Pope asking him to bless and pray for her daughter. In response, Francis sent his letter with a special VIP ticket for this Oct. 26 general audience, where he would have given her the blessing in person.

However, Paolina, who is from the southeast Italian city of Massafra, was too ill and weak to travel as the audience drew near, and so she couldn’t make the trip to Rome. She passed away Nov. 22 and was buried the same day.

The funeral Mass was held at the Church of St. Leopold Mandic and was presided over by Fr. Michele Quaranta. Nearly the entire town was present, including the city’s mayor, Fabrizio Quarto.

During his homily, Fr. Quaranta read aloud the Pope’s letter, which reassured Paolina that “I unite my hands to yours and to those who are praying for you.”

“In this way we will make a long chain that, I am sure, will reach heaven,” Pope Francis said in the letter, and told the girl to remember “that the first link in this chain is you, because you have Jesus in your heart! Remember it!”

He told her to speak to Jesus not only about herself, but also about her parents, “who need so much to be helped and comforted in front of the difficult steps they are facing.”

“You will certainly be very good at suggesting to Jesus what to do for them,” the Pope said, and asked Paolina to also tell Jesus “what he must to for me too, while I will remind him what he must do for you.”

“I give you a very strong hug and I bless you with my whole heart, together with your parents and your loved ones,” he said, and signed the letter himself.

“When she died, she joined the choir of the saints, led by St. Cecilia,” her cousin, Giuseppe Delprete, told Crux.

“Young Paulina was lucid, and courageous, until the very end,” Delprete said. “She never cried, she was a lively, outgoing young girl who died fighting.”

Her strength was such that her cousin believes she didn’t die a girl, but an adult, fighting as if she were already one, more mature than she should have been at her young age, worried about bringing comfort and reassurances to her mother instead of focusing on her impending death.

“She lived such an intense and great life, that at the age of 10 she was called by God to go home,” her cousin said.


Read Also: Demonic possession is real and there are countless documented cases. However, most people fail to realize that the number of possessions is on the rise.

Here Are Things You Didn’t Know About Excorcism And Demonic Possession Which Is On The Rise

http://www.francismary.org/here-are-things-you-didnt-know-about-excorcism-and-demonic-possession-which-is-on-the-rise/

"I henceforth grant to all priests, in virtue of their ministry, the faculty to absolve those who have committed the sin of procured abortion."
~Pope Francis
20th November 2016
Read More.... http://www.francismary.org/pope-francis-gives-all-priests-right-to-forgive-the-sin-of-abortion/

How much?

Last price please

Pastor Benny Hinn Says More People Are Healed In The Catholic Communion Than Any Other Place. He said this while preaching last week when he visited Nigeria.

See video below

http://www.francismary.org/wao-see-video-pentecostal-pastor-benny-hinn-says-more-people-are-healed-in-the-catholic-holy-communion-than-anywhere-else/

In commemoration of the Solemnity of All Saints' and the Feast of All Souls, as a Catholic you can recieve a Plenary indulgence daily or free one soul from Purgatory between 1st - 8th November under the following conditions.

1. Be in a state of grace ie go to Confession
2. Recieve Communion
3. Visit a graveside or a Chapel and pray One I believe in God....., One Our Father, One Hail Mary and One Glory Be.

You can recieve a Plenary indulgence for yourself or for souls in Purgatory.

Imagine freeing souls from Purgatory who would pray for you unceasingly in Heaven.

Read more about Indulgence here http://www.francismary.org/indulgence-what-the-church-teaches/


This tread is for Catholics please. This is our faith, this is what we believe.

No insults, respect other people's faith else you err thinking you are righteous for only in Heaven we will know who made it.

Unless you are asking because you honestly want to know.

I would not even have to argue with anyone on this.

Am Blessed

Deicide:
Is this figurative??

True life event, happened 13th October 1917. You can ask google

It's even more evident in these times, in these last days that the dragon is making war against the children of the Woman using his angels to give erroneous interpretations and teachings.

BEWARE Child of God.

Many, indeed very many shall be disappointed on the Last day when they see the Blessed Virgin Mary seated at Jesus right hand.

Make hays while the sun shines.

You should read the entire Chapter 12 to understand better and not just reading 2 verses and making canal interpretation. I have copied a few of the verses

12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. Revelation

12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation

MY CONTRIBUTION

Verse 12:1 talks about the Woman clothed with the sun (see also Songs of Solomon 6:10 who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun and terrible as an army set in battle array)

Verse 2 & 5 says this woman is with child who is to rule all nations.

Verse 3 speaks about the dragon while verse 7 says that Michael and his angels went to fight this dragon and his angels.

Verse 9 explicitly calls this dragon Devil and Satan, it's still possible that some people writing here are angels of this Satan whom Michael and his angels fight to this day and will always defeat.

Verse 17 is the most interesting here (12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation)

The seed of this woman is described here in verse 17 as those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

THE LAST WORDS OF A DYING MAN: THE LAST WORDS OF THE DYING JESUS

19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!19:27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. John

Here Symbolically Jesus gave His beloved to His Mother, He gave His Church to His Mother. Mary is a Mother to all true disciples of Jesus and every true disciple of Jesus is a child of Mary in keeping to the testimony of Jesus.

Lastly I quote St. Luke's Gospel

1:48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Luke

Mark the Words "from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed."

Mary was filled with the Holy Spirit as She proclaimed these Words, now let us remember Rev 12:17 which talked about those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

My question for you is

In keeping with the commandments of God according to Rev 12:17 and Luke 1:48, DOES YOUR GENERATION CALL MARY BLESSED?

Hmmm

Niflheim:
@OP,

The sun was dancing?!!! First it was a talking snake, then a donkey that speaks hebrew, then a cat-fish that turned into a submarine?!!! And now this?!!!

My dad visited all those miracle centers in Europe in the 70's, when I was still a kid!!! No healings ever take place there!!! Just tourists looking for virgins hiding inside caves!!!

Front page

I deserve front page abegi

I love my wifeyyyyyy

How to Say the Miraculous 54-Day Rosary Novena


The Novena consists of five decades of the Rosary each day for twenty-seven days in petition; then immediately five decades each day for an additional twenty-seven days in thanksgiving, whether or not the request has been granted.

The meditations vary from day to day. On the first day meditate on the Joyful Mysteries; on the second day the Luminous Mysteries; on the third day the Sorrowful Mysteries; on the fourth day the Glorious Mysteries. On the fifth day, meditate again on the Joyful Mysteries; and so on throughout the first twenty-seven days.

After the first twenty-seven days, begin the circle again with the Joyful Mysteries in THANKSGIVING whether or not the request has been granted.

Say a Rosary the way you normally say a Rosary, with any additional prayers or meditations you like: just add the Petition and Thanksgiving prayers.

It does not matter if your petition has not been granted within the first 27 days: proceed to the Thanksgiving cycle anyway.

Join our Facebook Event Page to begin this Most Efficacious Novena on the 1st of November, click the link https://www.facebook.com/events/1018954284882245/?ti=cl

Marriage is beautiful